Westwood said “If I was sitting here at 10, 11 or 12 under that would reflect the way I’ve played.” Instead, he sits tied for fourth on six-under-par, so although things are going relatively well, they could be a lot better.

Those who bet on golf tournaments like this know that they are won by players who take their chances to record an impressive score and this is why Westwood will be slightly disappointed with how things turned out.

Venting his frustrations at the day’s events, Westwood said that “sometimes you don’t get what you deserve”.

Moving forward into the weekend though, the world number three still believes he has what it takes to close the gap on the leaders and secure a first major title.

He says that he should “be there or thereabouts” come Sunday afternoon, especially if he keeps playing as he has been with the added ingredient of luck.

Elsewhere, fellow Englishman Paul Casey was also left slightly underwhelmed by his second successive round of 69 on the Old Course. He was on track to better his first round score, until a nightmare triple-bogey at the 17th.

Overall, both Westwood and Casey are still majorly in contention with the Sports betting odds, but they will need to raise their game even further if they are to be in with a chance of holding the Claret Jug on Sunda

Both the veteran Neal Wilkins, head of PR for Victor Chandler for the last 10 years, and David Hood of William Hill, one of the most recognisable PR faces in the business, have parted company with their respective employers in moves that strongly hint that the focus of the betting industry is now moving away from horse racing and onto general sports betting.

Those who enjoy betting online should note that Wilkins was unavailable for comment, but Hood, in a revealing interview with the Racing Post, made it clear that the budgets being set aside to support the sponsorship and promotion of horse racing have been, and will continue to be reduced year on year as firms feel their money is better spent on more high profile sports like, football, rugby, cricket and golf.

Speaking of his decision to part company with Hill’s, Hood tellingly said: “I love racing and betting, but the non-racing element is taking increasing precedence. It’s a sign of the times, the resources that can be spent on promoting racing are increasingly limited – and racing has to come to terms with this and the pressure it is under.”

Following on from the news in the last seven days that high profile sponsor Stan James (Newmarket Guineas meeting) and Boylesports (The Cheltenham International fixture) will not renew their sponsorship agreements, and the more than £24 million in cuts in prize money and other reductions proposed by the Levy Board for 2011, the future is looking somewhat bleak for the long-term health of horse racing in Britain.

Held in high regard by Paul Nicholls since his novice hurdle days, Taranis had developed into a high class chaser, winning a number of feature races including the Grade 1 James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal in November 2007. Unfortunately, a month later Taranis broke down when taking on Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and had been off the track while going through rehabilitation.

It is a tremendous credit to Nicholls that he was able to produce the French-bred nine-year-old to win at the first time of asking against smart company after a 25 month absence. Taranis didn’t just win, he fairly hacked up, cruising around the back for the first circuit before creeping into contention three out and then powering home up the Cheltenham hill to beat the very useful Carruthers with a bit in hand.

The immediate talk after the race was of Taranis providing a fifth string to the Nicholls bow in the Gold Cup in seven weeks time, but mention was also made of a possible tilt at the Grand National if the horse comes out of this race unscathed.

It would be some story if the gelded son of Mansonnien could return from a career-threatening injury to win the greatest steeplechase of all. The Grand National betting odds make him as long as 33/1 for the big race, but a decision as to whether he will be allowed to take his chance will come after the weights have been published. If the handicapper gives him a sporting chance, then it is possible that Taranis might get the green light to tackle the awesome Aintree fences.

The Grand National 2010 looks set to attract some of the best quality horses for years, with the likes of former Gold Cup winner War of Attrition, Hennessey winner State of Play and Irish star Notre Pere all potential starters. Recent National heroes Comply or Die and defending champion Mon Mome, who has been shaping up very promisingly so far this term, are also in contention.

Although he has been through more than his fair share of trials and tribulations in a turbulent and controversial career, there is no doubt that Kieren Fallon is a world class jockey, as his record in the Epsom Derby proves. The Irishman first hit the target when partnering Henry Cecil’s Oath to land the blue riband in 1999, and duly followed up with successive victories in 2003 and 2004 on Kris Kin and North Light respectively, both for trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

For his part Johnny Murtagh has also enjoyed his fair share of ups and downs but in recent years he has been absolutely rock solid since taking over from Fallon as first jockey at Aidan O’Brien’s all-powerful Ballydoyle stables. However, Murtagh has won the Derby for three different trainers. He first won the race aboard Sinndar, for John Oxx and owner/breeder the Aga Khan, before winning for O’Brien on High Chaparral in the 2002 renewal.

In 2005, riding Motivator for the Royal Ascot Racing Club syndicate, Murtagh landed his third and most recent Derby success, on this occasion for trainer Michael Bell. This year he is almost certain to be on board the hot ante-post favourite St Nicholas Abbey, the horse who has dominated the Derby betting odds market since his emphatic victory in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October last year.

Both Keiren Fallon and Johnny Murtagh look certain to be on board leading fancies for the 2010 renewal but can one of them take his winning total to four? The horse race betting would seem to indicate it could happen. However, although it would be an amazing achievement, they would still five behind the legendary Lester Piggott’s nine Derby victories, surely a record that will never be equalled.

No one would have dared to call Chief Dan George and average horse – but neither was he being hailed as a particularly exciting contender. Now however, after a surprising and rather impressive win at the Cheltenham Festival, the competition may well begin to worry about the role Chief Dan George will play in the upcoming Grand National at Aintree.

After warming up with a win in the Veterans Handicap Chase at Doncaster on 24th February, Chief Dan George and regular jockey Paddy Aspell set out to have try their luck at the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase, one of the longest and most gruelling events at the Cheltenham Festival. Trainer James Moffatt could hardly believe his eyes when his ten-year-old charge unleashed an unknown reserve of strength and stamina to race to a photo finish with race favourite The Package.

The result of the photo finish is the bay geldingís first win at the Cheltenham Festival, which seems to be just another step on the path to transformation from an ordinary and, frankly, aging jumper to a fearsome and determined contender.

Currently Chief Dan George is given 20-1 odds in the Grand National, already more positive than the 25-1 odds he proved inappropriate at Cheltenham, but considering his rapid movement up the ranks these odds may be subject to change as the event draws nearer. Especially since Chief Dan George defeated a number of contenders also aiming for this yearís Grand National on April 10th – aside from his runner-up The Package who is also set for Aintree. The William Hill Trophy also featured Niche Market (9th place), Comply Or Die (13th place) and Joe Lively (14th place), all of whom seemingly only served to put Chief Dan Georgeís achievement into perspective.

After five years on the jumping circuit Chief Dan George is finally becoming the hot topic James Moffatt has hoped for. If the experienced team of Moffatt and Aspell continue their clearly effective training methods in the next weeks, it is more than likely that Chief Dan George will be a serious threat in the upcoming Grand National.

To check out how some other potential Grand National contenders have performed at the Cheltenham Festival, visit Horse Racing UK to get the intel before they’re off.

All the market principals remain in the race and, as none of those removed from the race were prominent in the ante-post betting lists, there have been no significant changes to the odds on offer for the Aintree marathon.

Amongst the better known horses whose trainers have declined the challenge of this year’s big race is Kilcrea Castle, quietly fancied in some quarters prior to a poor effort recently in the Racing Post Chase, after which his trainer Emma Lavelle hinted that the National might be a step too far at this stage.

Willie Mullins has removed his Beroni and Irish Invader from the contest but still has eight horses entered, whilst Dessie Hughes has taken out Leopardstown’s Paddy Power Chase runner-up Siegemaster, a 33/1 shot in some Aintree Grand National Free Bet lists.

Taranis is probably the most high profile horse to miss the race, the gelding having returned from a long lay-off to post a tremendous win in Cheltenham’s Argento Chase last month. Another horse to have been quoted as short as 33/1 with some firms, Taranis has also been withdrawn from an intended engagement in the Cheltenham Gold Cup due to lameness and will be out for the rest of the season. Trainer Paul Nicholls hopes that his talented but fragile chaser will be back on duty next term.

Another quality horse who has been difficult to keep sound is Charlie Egerton’s Darkness, another well known name who was absent from the list of 98 horses going forward to the next stage of the Grand National. The Grade 1 winner has had all manner of training difficulties in recent years but on his day is still a quality handicapper.

Parson’s Legacy, Jayo, Glenfinn Captain and One Cool Cookie are amongst others who have not gone forward to the second declaration stage.

Irish Raptor had first shown a penchant for the unique Aintree fences when leading until the second from home before fading into seventh in the 2007 Topham Chase. In a tremendous finish to the 2008 renewal Twiston Davies’ charge went down with all guns blazing when failing by only a neck to peg back the gambled-on Gwanako, but 12 months later got his just reward for tremendous consistency at Aintree when holding on gamely to beat Ireland’s Oodachee by a couple of lengths.

Some 2010 grand national entries just seem to be tailor-made for the Merseyside challenge and having raced five times in one lap events at Aintree (he also finished 6th in the 2008 Becher Chase before coming a cropper at the second fence in the same event 12 months later) Irish Raptor has shown that, particularly in April and on a decent surface, he is a serious threat to any horse at Aintree.

A proven stayer who has won at tough tracks like Sandown and Cheltenham over distances in excess of three miles, the 11-year-old has this year been prepared with the Grand National as his principal target. Twiston-Davies knows exactly what is required to win the day and at around 40/1 in the ante-post market there are good reasons for believing that Irish Raptor will give supporters a great run for their money.

The handicapper has allotted Irish Raptor 10st 7lbs, a perfect racing mark, but a figure that will mean that at least 20 horses above the Zaffaran gelding in the weights will have to drop out to give him a shot at Aintree glory. I believe there is every chance that they will and ‘NTD’s’ grand sort will make the starting line-up on for the 2010 Grand National.

Two graded wins at Cheltenham last winter (one of them over three-and-a-half miles) showed that Joe Lively still has a serious engine and that his stamina for the marathon trip of the John Smith’s Grand National is all but guaranteed. In between his two Cheltenham victories, the Flemensfirth gelding ran a good sixth to Notre Pere in the Welsh Grand National, keeping on nicely at the finish.

Having appeared out of sorts for much of this term, it was good to see Joe Lively showing a bit of his old sparkle when running well to be third to the rejuvenated Taranis in the Grade 2 Argento Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January, an effort that possibly reminded handicapper Phil Smith of his capabilities and probably contributed to him being allotted 11st 6lbs in the Grand National weights.

A horse that has shown throughout his career that he is capable of running well on anything from ‘heavy’ ground to ‘good’ going, Joe Lively will doubtless be partnered by regular pilot Joe Tizzard who has ridden him to all nine of his career successes and knows exactly how to get the best out of a classy horse now nearing the veteran stage.

He is on offer at around 66/1 with Horse Race Betting and would not be without a chance of making the frame.

Winner of the Becher Chase at Aintree earlier this season, Dessie Hughes’ charge had, (like so many other serious Grand National Runners, been kept to hurdles events through the winter whilst the handicapper was working out the weights for the race. Having been allotted 11st 6lbs, Hughes returned the 10-year-old son of Old Vic to fences for the Bobbyjo, and he duly ran out a comfortable 8-length winner from stable companion Black Appalachi, another Grand National candidate who shaped well and also looks bang on course for a return visit to Merseyside.

The prevailing soft ground proved ideal for Vic Venturi, who was never far from the pace and took up the running three out before surging away from his rivals. Similar underfoot conditions for Hughes’ gelding would be a distinct bonus on National day as he clear relishes give in the ground.

Flood reported that his mount had given him a great feel throughout the three-mile-one-furlong contest and that he (Vic Venturi) felt as if he had improved further compared to his winning performance at Aintree in the autumn. For his part, Hughes was delighted with both the winner and the runner-up and is convinced he has two very serious Grand National candidates this time around.

On the back of this performance it came as no surprise that punters were interested to have a wager on Vic Venturi who is now generally on offer at around 14/1 amongst the Grand National Race Horses, a price that could contract further as the big event approaches.

A horse that clearly stays well, jumps soundly and has consistently acquitted himself well when facing quality opposition, Vic Venturi is surely one of Ireland’s leading hopes to bring the John Smith’s Grand National back to the Emerald Isle.

Only a seven-year-old, French bred Possol has already proved himself to be a talented performer, last season giving weight and a beating to subsequent Grand National hero Mon Mome in a hot Haydock staying handicap, before running a cracker to be a fine second to Nacarat in Kempton’s Racing Post Trophy. His subsequent disappointing effort in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival is attributed to him not having sufficient time to recover from his effort at Kempton, and his following outing in the Kilmany Cup at Perth when beating the very useful Ollie Magern, showed that Possol is a very progressive horse.

This term, almost certainly by way of wishing to protect his handicap mark for the John Smith’s Grand National 2010, Daly his campaigned the gelding exclusively over timber and has been rewarded with victories at Ascot and Doncaster, showing that the horse is equally adept over both kinds of obstacles and is clearly in very good heart.

Possol has a touch of class about him, stays very well indeed, goes particularly well on the ‘good’ ground that is so often prevalent at Aintree and has never fallen in 19 racecourse appearances. Of those 19 runs, he has won or been placed fifteen times, proving himself a model of consistency whilst gradually climbing up the handicapping ladder.

Another crack at the Racing Post Chase at the end of February is very much on the cards, whilst Possol also holds an entry in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. It would be a surprise if he were to run in both though, as he seems to need a break between races.

There are good reasons for believing that Possol is a serious contender for Aintree honours, something to consider when placing your Grand National Free Bets.